Which SQL Server edition?

We need a new install of windows server and sql server to replicate a couple of databases to a geographically separate location from an existing application (over a site-to-site VPN). The source database is SQL Server 2005.

However, this is a temporary solution since the client is aiming to implement a different system entirely, so we are looking to find the minimum specification of both windows server and sql server to do this.

We are finding the SQL server features per edition and licensing a little difficult to understand, hence the question. Am I correct in thinking that we can replicate data using transactional replication from SQL Server 2005 to 2008 web edition and we can install sql server web edition on windows 2008 web edition also?

Thanks.

Solution 1:

SQL Server 2008 Web edition supports replication as a subscriber and SQL web edition can be installed on Windows Server 2008 Web edition. Only SQL datacenter, enterprise, and standard edition can act as a publisher. You might also want to note that Web edition is not free and only a per processor licensing. SQL Server 2008 Express edition supports replication and is free, but has a 10GB database size limitation.

Sources:

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143506.aspx#Web64

http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms143506.aspx#Web32